World news | The Guardian
· collected 2026-08-20 · by Andrew Roth in Washington
Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, has cast doubt on US President Donald Trump's claim of secret communications with her brother. In a statement carried by North Korean state media, she said that while Trump and Kim have an excellent relationship, the US remains an enemy of Pyongyang. Trump had announced earlier that he plans to meet Kim later this year, but his claims were met with skepticism by Kim Yo-jong's denial of any knowledge about supposed communications between the two leaders. The exact number of North Korea's nuclear weapons was also revealed by Trump as 57 "very powerful" nuclear weapons.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-20,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that he would be scaling back US military exercises with South Korea, citing his "very good" relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and claiming that the exercises were expensive. The annual drills, known as Ulchi Freedom Shield, were originally scheduled to run from August 13-27, but have been reduced in scope and scale at the direction of Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The decision has caused alarm among South Koreans, who rely heavily on the US for their security, as well as other US allies in the region. North Korea has been threatening a "new level" of nuclear deterrence in response to the planned drills, which Pyongyang state media called "a rehearsal for an invasion war."
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who had previously floated the idea of reducing joint military exercises with the US as a tool for drawing North Korea back to the table, has renewed his calls for wartime operational control of the military and progress on South Korea's nuclear submarine programme.
The decision to cut short the drills marks a significant shift in Trump's approach to North Korea, which he had previously criticized for its missile tests and threats. Trump added that US involvement in the exercises would send a "signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile" to North Korea, which he said has been "unthreatening and respectful" to his presidency.
The move has also sparked concerns among analysts and US senators about Trump's willingness to prioritize North Korean denuclearization over South Korea's security. Some have criticized Trump's approach as naive, citing the recent spate of North Korean missile tests and threats.
Written for “US-South Korea Military Tensions” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 21 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
The score and its own evidence disagree: every quote above points
one way and the number points the other. One of them is wrong.
The confidence has been set to low for that reason.
Leaning score -0.45 for article 1613 (low confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-08-21
Donald Trump has said he is planning to meet North Korea’s Kim Jong-un later this year, though the reclusive leader’s younger sister cast doubt on their communications and dampened hopes of a diplomatic breakthrough between them.
asserted
sister → say → them
Trump, who also claimed North Korea had 57 nuclear weapons, had suggested he and Kim were holding secret negotiations on Tuesday after announcing the US would downgrade its participation in military exercises held by South Korea, a US ally.
uncertain
US → claim → Korea
Asked whether Kim had responded to his request for a conversation, Trump said: “Yeah, he has.”
asserted
he → ask → conversation
The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that Trump was pushing aides to set up an in-person meeting with Kim, potentially during a trip to Asia in November for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China.
asserted
Trump → report → Shenzhen
But on Wednesday Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korea’s supreme leader, said she knew “absolutely nothing” about the supposed communications, and that while Trump and Kim had an excellent relationship, the US remained an enemy of Pyongyang.
asserted
US → say → Pyongyang
“The United States’ hostile policy toward the DPRK has not changed, and the United States and its followers are vigorously carrying out hostile military activities against the DPRK even at this very moment,” she said in a statement carried by North Korean state media.
asserted
she → change → media
Journalists questioned Trump further about his talks with Kim in front of Marine One on Wednesday.
asserted
Journalists → question → Wednesday
He declined to say whether or not he was in direct contact, but asked whether he was planning to meet Kim later this year, he said: “Yeah, I will be.
asserted
I → decline → Kim
“I know Kim Jong-un very well and he’s gonna be fine,” Trump said.
asserted
Trump → know → un
“As long as we have a smart president, he’s gonna be fine.
asserted
he → have → president
If we have a dumb president, then he’s probably not going to be so fine.”
asserted
he → have → president
Trump also made the unusual disclosure that North Korea had 57 “very powerful nuclear weapons”, revealing exact intelligence that may not ordinarily be made public.
uncertain
that → make → intelligence
He added that Iran should not be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon.
asserted
Iran → add → weapon
In her statement, Kim’s sister lauded the relationship between him and Trump, saying he had “personally good memories and feelings” toward the US president.
asserted
he → laud → president
She cast doubt on whether her brother had secretly been in communication with Trump.
asserted
brother → cast → Trump
“Perhaps it is the only matter I do not know about in relation to our supreme leadership’s foreign policy,” she said.
asserted
she → know → policy
She denied claims by Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, that North Korea planned to deploy tens of thousands of troops to fight for Russia.
uncertain
Korea → deny → Russia
